Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
Out, Out—
Feature Menu
Introducing the Selections
Literary Skills Focus: Biographical
Criticism
Reading Skills Focus: Taking
Notes/Re-Reading
Writing Skills Focus: Think as a
Reader/Writer
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
Out, Out—
In what different ways can people respond to
tragic events?
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
Out, Out—
Introducing the Selections
It is an ordinary day in Vermont.
A boy is sawing wood in his yard
and looking forward to supper.
Then, a terrible accident occurs.
What do people do when tragedy
strikes?
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Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
Out, Out—
Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism
Some writers are deeply influenced by everyday
life in the places they live.
They use that world in poem after poem and story
after story.
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
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Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism
These writers create works with people and scenes
that have strong connections to people and scenes
the writers know well.
When you read their works, you get a sense of
• specific places
• each writer’s attitude toward a place
and its people
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
Out, Out—
Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism
You use biographical
criticism when you examine
a text with the writer’s life in
mind.
Biographical criticism looks at how a writer’s
work relates to his or her
life
experiences
attitudes
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Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
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Reading Skills Focus: Taking Notes/Re-Reading
Taking notes and re-reading help you compare a
text with details from the writer’s life.
• Take notes as you read both the text and
the writer’s biography.
• Re-read both texts to be sure you have
noted all the possible biographical
connections.
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
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Reading Skills Focus: Taking Notes/Re-Reading
Into Action: As you read the two selections, use a chart
like the one below to record the specific ways that Frost’s
own life seems to be reflected in the text.
Details in Biography
Details in Text
Places lived
Family background
Important experiences
Work/career
Beliefs/attitudes
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Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
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Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer
Find It in Your Reading
You can tell from this poem that Frost knew what
it was like to use a buzz saw—and knew the
danger of such work.
As you read, note down how
Frost describes the buzz saw—
how it sounds and acts.
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Vocabulary
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
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Vocabulary
rueful adj.: regretful.
appeal n.: plea or call for help or sympathy.
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
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Vocabulary
Almost everyone has felt rueful at one time or
another . . .
because almost everyone has done something
that he or she regrets having done.
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
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Vocabulary
Luis felt rueful about his response to his opponent
during the debate. In other words, he
a. felt proud of his
response.
b. thought he would win
the debate.
c. wished he had said
something different.
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
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Vocabulary
Luis felt rueful about his response to his opponent
during the debate. In other words, he
a. felt proud of his
response.
b. thought he would win
the debate.
c. wished he had said
something different.
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
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Vocabulary
What do you do if you are unhappy with someone
else’s decision?
You might make an appeal—a plea or call—for that
person to change his or her mind.
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
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Vocabulary
The judge was deciding how
large the fine for littering should
be, so the guilty man lifted his
eyes in appeal for
a. victory
b. sympathy
c. escape
Robert Frost: The New England Poet/
Out, Out—
Vocabulary
The judge was deciding how
large the fine for littering should
be, so the guilty man lifted his
eyes in appeal for
a. victory
b. sympathy
c. escape
The End